How Many Grams Of Sugar In A Banana ?

Banana is the most widely consumed fruit all over the world. Though it has many nutritional benefits, it contains a fair amount of carbohydrates and calories, which means that it contains a fair amount of sugar also.

While a small banana would contain about 12 grams of sugar, a medium one would contain around 14 grams, a large one would contain about 17 grams, and an extra large banana would contain about 19 grams of sugar. But this does not mean that diabetics cannot eat bananas. They can but the fruit has to be consumed in moderation.

If the bananas are eaten after they have ripened, then they are sweeter. However, if they are eaten when they are unripe, then the sugar content is almost nil. This is because the starch in the bananas converts into sugar only upon ripening. Usually once the banana starts ripening, it may have a sugar content of about 20 percent, while an unripe banana may have a sugar content of only 2 percent. The unripe banana can be cooked like potatoes and eaten. It can be boiled or roasted or even fried. It can also be dried and used as flour after it is ground.

Irrespective of the amount of sugar in the banana, the body absorbs this sugar at different levels and this sugar is usually harmless. This may only be a problem for those who are on a low carbohydrate diet, or who are on a diet to lose weight. Hence, if you eat bananas in moderation, then you need not worry about the sugar content.

A banana is one of the best sources of potassium. But what is the exact amount of potassium that can be found in a banana? Is this the only source of potassium? It is believed that an average sized banana may contain around 450 mg of potassium, which makes up more than 20 percent of our daily requirement of potassium. More..